Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc review

With its 2011 Xperia lineup, Sony Ericsson is looking to retain its position as one of the major players in the Android ecosystem. While last year’s (depending on your locale) Xperia X8 and X10 sold well, they were criticized by some for shipping with an outdated version of Android, as well as a variety of software issues.

The Xperia Arc is Sony Ericsson’s new flagship phone, representing the manufacturer’s next step in its quest for Android dominance. It’s a faster, sleeker, lighter device that’s running the latest version of Android out of the box (well, give or take a minor point release). And some interesting multimedia inclusions from Sony give it strong entertainment credentials.

But has Sony Ericsson done enough to compete with recent offerings from the likes of Samsung and HTC? Read on to find out, as we take a closer look at the Xperia Arc.

Software updates, Speed test results [from the forums]

Plenty of news happening today as we head on into the weekend. Android 2.3.4 got rolled out in unofficial form, the Motorola Atrix 4G OTA is arriving for some folks along with the HTC Inspire 4G update. Plenty of excitement in the forums so, be sure to jump in there and join in on the fun.

HTC ThunderBolt poised for an update?

Remember that HTC ThunderBolt ROM that leaked out a few days ago? Looks like Verizon's getting ready to push it (or something close to it?), as Android Central Forums member jim302 spotted that the release notes have been posted in the usual place and the build numbers match up. Here's the changelog:

PBS Kids brings 'Super Why' to Android

OK, all you parents out there. Here's another one that's sure to keep the kids occupied for a good three, maybe four minutes. Chances are you've sat through an episode or two of PBS Kids' "Super Why" -- and now it's available on Android. For the uninitiated, "Super Why" is an award-winning children's TV show that teaches reading, spelling and story-telling. PBS describes the app as:

The SUPER WHY App for Android helps children achieve the power to read with four fun SUPER WHY interactive literacy games in addition to a colorful virtual sticker book. Young learners can play along with each of the four main characters from the PBS KIDS series: Alpha Pig, Princess Presto, Wonder Red, and, of course, Super Why, while practicing the alphabet, rhyming, spelling, writing and reading.

The app will cost $2.99 (ask your kids for help -- they probably already know how to buy them), though it's free today on Amazon. Download it at the source link.

HTC bringing a Sensation successor with NFC in Q3 2011?

Rumors are always just rumors, but a current one flying around the Internet has an unnamed HTC sales manager outing a 4.3-inch successor to the HTC Sensation, with NFC capabilities, to hit in the third quarter of 2011. Yes, a new phone will be better than an old phone -- shocker -- even though this particular old phone hasn't even hit the shelves yet.

So far the only Android phone to have NFC on-board is the Nexus S, and that's because Google wanted it available for developers. NFC technology is something Nokia's been doing forever, yet still hasn't caught on for most of the world. Maybe a bigger push from Google will have the same result that putting a front facing camera on the HTC Evo 4G did, and bring it mainstream. Or maybe not -- consumers, especially us American ones, are pretty fickle.

Finally, there's been a bit of speculation that this will be the next Nexus phone. While that's possible, and the time frame fits, I think it's way to early for anyone to be jumping to those conclusions. But if it is, and has a similar curvaceous unibody design, tell me who to throw my money at now please.

Inspire 4G update pushing out now

Have an HTC Inspire 4G on AT&T? Have the latest software upgrade? You don't? Well, get to your nearest system update (it's in settings, boys and girls) and see if yours is waiting for you, as 1.84.502.11 is being pushed out now. According to HTC, you're getting:

Hotmail, Live, and MSN email auto configuration settings update.

Makes the email set up process much easier and includes the most current settings for each type of email.

Increased potential data speed at which data can travel on the network.

It's that last bullet point that's really the important one, though, because the Inspire is another one of them newfangled "4G" HSPA+ that hasn't been allowed to live up to its potential. So update away, run some speed tests and let us know how it goes.

For some, a visual learning experience is needed and for the Motorola Atrix 4G users out there now getting the update we advised was coming, AT&T has now posted the a full how-to via their device support pages in case you need complete guidance through it. If that's not quite enough -- or if you run into issues, that's not a problem either. You can head on into the Atrix 4G forums, read the change log and ask help from those who have the update.

NASA TV for Android launches just in time for shuttle launch (and delay)

Although today's launch attempt of the STS-134 has been scrubbed and rescheduled, we still wanted to let Android users know that NASA has been working on its NASA TV live streams so that they do work on Android devices. Today was set to be a beta test of those streams and while some did have issues with playback, others had no problems at all.

NASA is looking into the matter so that when STS-134 is ready to launch we'll all be able to tune in and enjoy it. If you head on over to the NASA mobile page you can click on Watch NASA TV Live and the stream will open up for you. If not, let them know in the comments. Part of the issue they are having is they can't test all possible versions of Android so dropping some comments may help them sort it all out.

HP ePrint app brings FedEx Office Print&Go service to Android

HP has updated its Android ePrint application, bringing support for FedEx Office Print&Go, a service that allows users to print documents from their smartphones at over 1,800 FedEx locations nationwide. According to the app's Market description, the service uses GPS (or manual-input keywords for those afraid of the eye in the sky) to sync your documents with any participating self-service copier, which you can then use edit and print at will.

Version 1.01, available in the Android Market now, supports printing Word docs, PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, images, plain and rich text, Adobe PDF, and HTML. Hit the link after the break to download.

Droid Charge system dump and goodies available in the forums

You guys know how it goes -- a few people get their hands on a phone a little early and we bring out the system dumps, the Samsung Droid Charge being no exception. The whole kit and kaboodle checks in at 300 MB, but we've went ahead and pulled out the wallpapers and ringtones for those of you who don't feel like fooling with the whole system.

The system itself doesn't hold any surprises -- it's TouchWiz 3, has Media Hub on board, and a new build of CityID. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) But enterprizing types will end up pulling everything useful out of it for other custom ROMs, and that's good for everyone. You can find all the links and discuss in the Droid Charge forums while we wait for the launch to get back on track.

Samsung SPH-D600 protoype looks like The Thing That Should Not Be

Seriously, we wouldn't read too much into what you see here. And what you see here supposedly is the Samsung SPH-D600, a slider-keyboard Android phone destined for Sprint. It's very clearly a protoype, and other than the fact that it has a camera button and a front-facing camera, it's pretty darn rough. It's also said to have a 320x480 resolution on the display, which makes us even less excited. And the physical buttons are said to be reminiscent of the Samsung Replenish, except they look nothing like the buttons on the Samsung Replenish. (See our initial review.)

So maybe this is something new, maybe it's something old, or maybe it's something that was never supposed to see the light of day in the first place. Still, we'll keep our eyes open in hopes that it gets a little better by release time.

Atrix 4G Lapdock accessory drops to $299 starting May 1

If you've been eyeing the Motoroala Atrix 4G and its slick little Lapdock but didn't exactly feel all warm and fuzzy at the $399 a la carte price tag, things are looking up. According to this screen shot we just received, the Lapdock will drop to $299 on May 1, and the total cost of the Atrix with Lapdock falls to a more palatable $399. Someone feeling a little Transformer heat, perhaps?

It's a simple premise: If you're an HBO subscriber, you sign in (I used my Cox Cable log-in) and have access to movies, series -- all the content HBO has to offer, really -- and it's served up to your Android phone. Hopefully we'll see it on Honeycomb tablets in the near future. But for now, that's not an option.

The user interface is simple enough. Browse programs and watch them. You can dive through the extensive list of movies, series, comedy, sports, documentaries and (of course), late-night.

The streaming quality was pretty good, though you're a bit let down because the preview images on the app are nicer than what you'll actually be watching. It'll work on either 3G or Wifi. And if the buffering drops off, the stream will revert to audio-only while it catches up.

Anyhoo, if you're looking to get your HBO fix while you're on the go, the aptly named HBO will get it done.

We've got video of it in action, as well as download links, after the break.

ThunderBolt case review: Case-Mate POP!

So you want a case that's sturdy, but doesn't feel like a hard case? The Case-Mate POP! for the HTC ThunderBolt is a good middle ground. It's molded out of a hard plastic for strength and rigidity, plus a soft rubber for a more friendly touch.

The bulk of the case -- which comes in black, pink or white -- is made of a glassy plastic, with the Case-Mate logo plenty visible. But on the sides are a textured rubber, which really softens the feel of the case and gives you good grip when you pick it up. There are cutouts for the antenna, camera and flashes, microphones, microUSB port and 3.5mm headphone jack, and the volume and power buttons are of the same rubber as the sides and interior of the case.

You've got a little extra thickness that helps protect the screen from touching when it's left face-down, and the camera lens is kept well clear of any flat surfaces, too.

It's not a minimal case -- you'll definitely know it's on there. But it's a nice middle ground between a skin case and something more rugged. It's a one-piece unit, so the ThunderBolt just slips in and out. But it's a snug fit, and the phone shouldn't be going anywhere once it's in.

HTC reports record-breaking Q1, predicts a continued trend through Q2

Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC had a record breaking Q1 with T $104.16 billion ($3.63 billion in US dollars) in revenue, the company announced in a conference call with investors Friday. The tech giant, the fifth largest smartphone maker in the world, also discussed its predictions for Q2, saying that it will bring in T $120 billion ($4.18 billion US dollar) in revenue from April through June, doubling their numbers from the same quarter last year.

The company shipped 9.7 million units in Q1 and expects that number to grow up to 11.5 million in Q2. Investors credited the consumer demand for the Android OS as the company's main driving force, citing strong sales of recently released handsets including the Thunderbolt, the Inspire 4G, and the Incredible S. (Check out our initial review of HTC's newest US handset, Verizon's Droid Incredible 2, here.)

HTC CFO Winston Yung said that the company plans to build a new plant in Taoyuan, Taiwan, which will allow the company to increase production and meet the growing demand for smartphones in China. The company will also hire 1,000 new employees in both its research and development departments.

Looks like HTC is rolling in the dough and plans on doing so for the foreseeable future. We can't complain, seeing that this will likely mean more and more Android-flavored HTC smartphones hitting the market in the coming year. Hit the source link for the full investor's report.

Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by the Android Open Source Project
and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 2.5 Attribution License. AndroidCentral is an independent site
that is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google.